TC Brothers
by VAPX007
Summary: OOC Simon gets fatally injured and only Alvin can help him. T rated but please be warned of some realistic violence and some less realistic Vampire content. Based on the old TV show. This Story is Now Complete.
1. Dangerous Risks

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks._

_A/N: The single most entrancing thing about the Chipmunks for me is that no other TV show comes as close to real life. I have never seen a TV show with as much reality poured into its heart and soul as The Chipmunks. The TV shows may date, the songs feel totally retro, but the family values will remain forever._

_A/N: Fiction writing is effectively a single person playing a multiplayer game. If the concepts between the characters are so vibrant and alive as they are for The Chipmunks, once you create the situation, the characters carry off the rest of the story by themselves._

* * *

**Chapter One: Dangerous Risks**

_At the Arcade..._

Simon picked up the carton and carried it over to the video game machine.

"Alvin." Simon yawned and grizzled at the same time. He struggled to physically get his red clothed brother moving. "Time to get home!"  
"Oh, yes!" Alvin on an extra carton of his own whooped as the computer game ended, "Simon, I just got the highest score that anybody has gotten on this machine."

Simon took a moment to consider this, reflecting on the long history the machine had to have. That was impressive, really. "That's great, Alvin. I assume, having performed this amazing feat, you may at last come home to your loving family who have been asleep for three hours already?"  
Alvin laughed. "All except for you, Simon." Alvin jumped off the box and hugged him. "Okay!"  
And Simon chased Alvin out of the arcade.

* * *

Without any warning, someone snatched them up from behind and shoved them into cat boxes.

"We're not strays ..." Simon tried to explain. The human ignored him and put him into the back of the van beside Alvin's box.  
"This is an outrage!" Alvin acted out uselessly on his cage. "I am an international rock star!"  
The van swerved around a corner and Simon lost his balance. "And they wonder why some cats hate these things so much ..."

It was a short ride and then the human carried them into a downtown building and into a lab.  
"We're not guinea pigs ...!" Alvin gasped in horror. "Simon, quick ... do something!"  
Simon pulled off his glasses and cleaned them, making sure he stayed calm. "Alvin, they've padlocked these cages, and I didn't bring my burglary equipment tonight." He replied with a trace of sarcasm.  
Alvin gasped, "You have stuff like that?"  
Simon sighed and turned about to see about reasoning with these people again.  
"Surely, once they discover that we can make intelligent conversation with them, they won't ..." He looked up as the human approached his cage.

* * *

"There's only one way to find out." The human put the cat box down.  
"You're mad." The other one said.  
"Apparently my madness is catching or you wouldn't still be around here for so long."

"Uh excuse me." Simon interjected. The humans glanced at him in disinterest.  
"We've only got one sample ... you're going to use it up on this creature?"  
"I'm a chipmunk." Hopefully they'd figure out he was also a talking, sentient being. The humans ignored him.

"If it works, we'll have a whole lot more sample available. If not, well, we'll just have a dead chipmunk, and we'll know we were wrong anyway."  
Simon's heart rate quickened. These were not very nice people, he decided. The instant they opened the cage, he had to get free.

Four hands, and he struggled helpless, held down against the table.  
The ability to resequence genes is fascinating." One of the humans said, "But I've never seen it done to something other than a human."

* * *

Alvin rocked the cage, eventually tipping it up and toppling it off the table. The flimsy thing smashed against the floor. He recovered his shock and struggled out of the box wreck. "Now I know why Dave's always telling us to put seatbelts on." He grimaced, feeling very bruised and shaken, but he didn't have time to stop bleeding scratches.

He climbed up the leg of the table and gasped.  
"Simon! Let go of my brother!" He leapt forwards and bit into the human's hand, who drew back, dropping the vial, yelping. He dodged the other's grab and kicked him, and then he dragged Simon to a stand. "Come on!" He said, spying the window across the room that was ajar. "Let's get out of here!"

Alvin grabbed Simon's hand and jumped off the table. Simon had trouble standing back up. "Come on!" He rallied his brother, and they darted around the humans' shoes. Alvin helped Simon to climb up on him to reach the window. He followed, jumping up and catching Simon's hands, they tumbled onto the pavement outside. They were free.

* * *

"Come on." Alvin coaxed Simon, who was struggling to get up. "Let's get home."

They were almost home, when Simon tripped and landed flat on the pavement. Alvin knelt down beside him. "This is my fault, I'm so sorry." His voice quivered emotionally in his feelings of regret.  
Simon let out a weak moan. "I-I can't ..." And he was unconscious.

Alvin had two options, and he darted his gaze around the street in assessment. No, it wasn't safe to leave his brother's side, not even to get help. He pulled Simon into his arms, and dragged him the rest of the way to the Seville residence.

The instant they were safe out of the night, Alvin yelled. "Dave!" He left Simon on the floor in front of the door, slammed it shut and raced up the stairs to Dave's room.

* * *

_Moral/Overview: There is no guarantee for safety when rules get broken._


	2. Sick

_A/N: Different characters handle the same issues in a uniquely different fashion. If you swapped character predicaments, you'd have an entirely different story. The resulting infinite number of possibilities gives rise to endless fascination, excitement and amusement on part of the writer. With any luck, a writer might even be able to entertain someone else with it._

* * *

**Chapter Two: Sick**

"I'll get a toxicology scan on the blood sample." The doctor looked at Dave Seville in amazement, fancy adopting three chipmunks for children, instead of for pets. He looked over; the other chipmunk was sitting hunched, wringing his cap in worry. His eyes didn't leave his brother.

* * *

"Come on, Alvin." Theodore coaxed his brother in the morning, cooing softly. "You've got to eat."

"I'm not eating anything." Alvin said, as aggressively as possible so that Theodore wouldn't hear his horror, his guilt his fears, and especially his grief. If Theodore heard that, it would be disastrous. "Okay." He took the plate with the waffle into his hands. "Thanks."

But he didn't dare look at Theodore when he said this.  
"Well, okay. I'll be downstairs." Theodore darted out of the room, and Alvin broke into another fit of tears. "My little brother!"

* * *

Simon woke up hungry. He looked around the dark room, Theodore was asleep in his bed but ... He turned his head the other way. There was Alvin, curled up on a nearby chair, a rug on him. Thank goodness he wasn't outside again, playing more video games in the night ... Then he noticed the waffle sitting on a plate beside Alvin. Simon darted out of bed and snatched it up, chewing ravenously.

'... I'm still hungry.' Simon analysed the evidence, he'd been asleep for a whole day and night. That was why.

* * *

He yawned and went to the bathroom, he climbed up the steps and stepped onto the edge of the basin, turned on the water and took a refreshing few gulps. He turned off the tap, looked up into the empty mirror and shrieked. In his shock he became unbalanced and fell backwards off the sink onto the floor. He lay there on his back for a moment recovering his reasoning. He put his hands to his face.

'My ... my glasses!' He didn't have them on.

He got up, dashing to his bed. His heart was pounding as he sat on top of the crumpled covers, putting the glasses on his face. This matter was pretty conclusive as the world came foggy to his gaze. He shuddered. Between him and the world were his glasses.

* * *

"S-Simon?" Alvin stirred awake. His brother stared at Simon for a moment and then pounced on him. Alvin hugged him tightly. "I'm so sorry that happened to you, I'll never stay out again ..."

"It doesn't matter." Simon responded gruffly. Then he melted and hugged Alvin back. "Thanks for getting me out of there." No doubt, if Alvin hadn't rescued him, Simon would be gnashing teeth in a cage for a crowd of scientists for the rest of eternity.

"Thanks for getting me out of there." He repeated in great relief.

* * *

_Moral/Overview: Real friends are there for you when you need them the most._


	3. Confront the Truth

**Chapter Three: Confront the Truth**

* * *

"The toxicology reports came back negative." Dave was entirely of relief that Simon was sitting there at the breakfast table, and he was looking so much better.

Dave might have continued getting himself ready for work instead of just watching Simon, except that ... Dave's blue garbed chipmunk son was rapidly devouring as much breakfast as Theodore usually did. Simon was finished with a Theodore sized helping and reached yet again for the box and another bowl of cereal. "Do ... you think you can finish another one, Simon?"  
"Yeah, I'll finish it, Dave." Simon loaded up his bowl, but he slowed down as he ate, paying more attention to the food. Then it was finished. Simon pushed away the bowl.

"You sure were hungry." Dave said, relieved that Simon had finally stopped. He could get himself sick eating so much so suddenly and so quickly.  
" 'Were hungry'." Simon hesitated. "Yes."  
"Come on boys off to school." Dave said to the others. "Do you think you're up for it, Simon?"  
Simon considered his empty bowl as if it had the answer in it somewhere. "Uh, yeah, I think so. I ... don't want to stay home."  
"Well, okay then, I'll make you a sandwich."

* * *

They waited for the opening school bell in the schoolyard.

"O-oh! Not him aga-in." Theodore whimpered and quaked behind his brothers as their resident bully came around.  
"Leave our brother alone, Percival." Alvin said. 'He's twice my size, I've gotta be careful or I'm gonna get clobbered. Now, what can I do? His shoelaces are half untied and...'  
'No, really!' Simon blinked as he listened to Alvin's racing thoughts coming crystal clear to him. For the first time, Simon properly understood how intelligent Alvin was in a fight.

"What about the nerd, then?" Percival snatched Simon's glasses away. "What's on your sandwich, four eyes?"  
Simon blinked at the clarity of the world. He stepped forwards. "Give them back." He said quietly. "I need them."  
"Simon ..."  
He pulled away from Alvin, seething at the entire situation. "I can be every bit as good as you are, Alvin. And there is only one of him." Simon turned and stepped out into the clearing again. He held out his hand. "Excuse me, my glasses?" The bully laughed, the sizzle of anger Simon felt from being laughed at made him take another step forwards.

Soccer ball!

He knew it was coming. Simon spun to face the oncoming ball, put one foot behind the other and caught it. It didn't knock him off his feet, it didn't send him flying. He simply had the ball in his arms. He turned back and took another step towards the bully. "My ... glasses ... please." He glared at the boy, still stubbornly holding onto them. "Percival, do I have to throw this at you? I guarantee that it'll hurt." The nervous tension in his arms told him that much. He literally ached to missile it.

"Crazy chipmunk." The bully's hand shook as he handed Simon back the glasses. One-handed he put them back on his face.  
The world was fuzzy and safe from him once again. Simon breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you." He watched the boy walk away, shaking his head.

"Hey, Simon," he turned, surrounded by soccer players, "you gonna toss that back or are you gonna sit on it till lunch?"  
'You silly unsporty bookworm,' "give it back."  
Simon growled. "I am not ... sitting." He dropped the ball and kicked it back to the other kids. He stood there alone, in his fuzzy world, yet surrounded by other kids. "I'm intelligent." He backed away from them. "I get good grades." He walked away from the area, watching the ground. "But it turns out that nobody thinks very much of me at all."

* * *

Alvin blinked as Simon was surrounded by soccer players. By the time the kids had gone, so too had Simon.

"Did ... you see ... the way he just ... caught ... that ball?"  
"Uh-huh. Yeah, I did."  
"I can't even do that." Alvin confessed.  
"Alvin, why'd he leave? Did he forget that we were here?"  
"I ..." He turned to Theodore. Alvin didn't know the truth, he didn't know the lie, and he didn't know how to put it softly. "I just don't know, Theodore."

* * *

Simon looked into his locker. "What a eulogy this is turning out to be." He pulled out his science textbook and walked to the library. It was quiet in here, no soccer balls. He took off his glasses and opened up the book, revealing Alvin's comic hidden inside. He turned the page.

"This is all obviously a sign of long term rejection and subsequent madness." He sighed, flicking through. "The conclusion is that I'm doomed, and it's only a matter of time." He blinked on a thought. "If I was someone else, I wouldn't have this problem." he sighed. "Should I try to change who I am so I don't go mad?" He looked down at the glossy cartoon pictures that were very condemning. "It's worth a try." The bell rang.

* * *

Simon kept his glasses on during class, not being able to see the board would lower his grades automatically. Then they wouldn't mud-sling him as a nerd so easily.

"I can see you're not feeling well, Simon." The teacher said kindly as he struggled more and more for each number on the board.  
"I feel fine, miss." He smiled hesitantly up at her.

She peered down at his workbook. "That's not meant to be a division, it's an equal sign ... Simon ... do you even know what topic we're studying today?"  
"No ... I ... don't ..." He rubbed his forehead. He couldn't think, why couldn't he think?  
"Simon ..."  
"It doesn't matter, nothing matters." He shut his book, now coming to the answer. The sun was beating down into the room through the windows, glaring angry and hotly at Simon. He felt weary from head to foot because of it. "I need to lie down."  
"Yeah, that's a good idea."  
He filed his textbook back into his bag and walked out of the classroom to sickbay.

* * *

"Simon?" The nurse came out as Simon was shutting the blinds.

"I need a rest, that's all." He insisted, sinking down onto the bed. Being fussed over was the last thing he wanted.  
"Sure, okay, that's a good idea." She stepped away and he closed his eyes.

* * *

"Hey, Simon." Simon blinked awake in the electric lit room.

"Dave?" 'Oh, no.' "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to come get me."  
"The nurse checked your temperature."  
"I don't remember her doing that!" Simon squeaked.  
"She said you have a fever."

Simon analysed this information. Clearly, this was the result of too much sun, he concluded. "I need some water." Dave pulled out his drink bottle, and handed it to Simon. He gulped it down. He took a breath, "I feel a bit better now." Dave put his hand against his forehead and then scooped him up.

"We'll try again on Monday. You should be feeling better by then." 'I hope he gets better. What if he doesn't?' Dave picked up his schoolbag.  
"It ... it's Friday?" Of course, he'd been in a vampire coma on Thursday.  
Dave sighed, 'Only Theodore isn't so stubborn ... I keep forgetting that.' "I knew I should've kept you at home today."

Simon cringed as they stepped out of the building back into the sun, knowing that Dave was right. He couldn't let this continue to happen to him. He needed to find some solution.

Dave buckled him into the passenger side of the car. 'He's just a boy; I can't expect so much of him all the time, just because he acts so grown up most of the time.' Dave thought, looking at Simon. Then he spoke. "When we get home you can have a proper rest in your own bed."

Dave walked around to the other side of the car.  
Simon crossed his arms. " 'Most of the time'?" He muttered quietly to himself. Simon wasn't sure how to take that criticism as Dave started the car. Had he been acting like a child? Once again, he realised that Dave was right. He'd had a fool's notion to think that it mattered what the other children thought, it only mattered to them. Next time he was in class, Simon resolved that he'd take his glasses off to read the board properly. He'd also make sure he sat near the internal wall, not the window. He'd make sure he always drank plenty of water.

"I know you're not feeling well, Simon. If it gets any worse you need to tell me, so I can get you to a hospital. The doctors there can take a look at you and help you get better. Will you promise me that?"  
Any worse and he'd be a pile of dust! Simon moaned, putting his hands to his head as it pounded in retaliation against the sunlight beating down on him from the windscreen. "Sure, Dave." Any worse and it wouldn't matter at all, either way. "I think I've just been in the sun too long today." Dave immediately flicked the passenger side's sun visor down and then opened the window, Simon sighed in relief. "Thanks."

Every little bit helped, and sitting there beside Dave, he felt safe and loved again.

* * *

Moral/Overview: Always remember the other people in your life that care about you.


	4. Unconditional

_A/N: Enjoy! _

* * *

**Chapter Four: Unconditional**

Simon sat with Alvin, watching the late night Friday horror double feature.

"Oh, my god!" He clenched the pillow in his arms as the vampire closed in for the on-screen kill. His whole body ached with unreleased tension.  
"She's obviously hypnotized. No way would a guy like that win a girl over so easy." Alvin shoved popcorn into his mouth.

'Hypnosis?' "What ... sort of guy would it take to ... have a willing victim?" Simon clenched the pillow again; man was he even hungrier talking about it. He grabbed some popcorn and shoved it in his mouth. Anything would do to distract him from that terrible need.

Simon watched the onscreen people discover the body and start off on their hunt for the vampire. 'I don't want to kill anyone.' Simon fretted. 'God, but I'm hungry.'

* * *

Saturday morning. "Oh boy, cartoons!"

The commotion in the room was what woke Simon, not the daylight. He stared at the window, why did the sun make him so exhausted all the time? The other thing was hunger. Consistent, persistent how useless to even try to do anything for it. He reached for his glasses, returning the world to a haze.  
"You coming, little brother?"  
"Uh-sure." He got out of bed and they joined Theodore downstairs.

* * *

Simon grew bored and wandered into the kitchen. He got up on the stool and rifled through the letters, finding his toxicology report.

"Normal ..." he shook his head '... except for the part of being a vampire.' He sighed, and then had a thought. It was only one test. There were more tests out there he could run, so many in fact that the blood sampling could all but drain him dry.

'Blood.' He licked his lips on his thoughts, his attention back on his stomach. He needed to fill it with something. "Cheerios." He set about for breakfast.

* * *

Resequenced genes. Alvin picked up the report that had fallen to the ground. It was a big font of nothing to him as well, but he put it back up into the rack anyway.  
"Is there anything I can help you with, Simon?"

"Sure, could you get the milk?"  
Alvin blinked, that wasn't what he meant ... "okay."  
"Thanks, Alvin." Alvin put the milk on the table as Simon passed by him with bowls then with the cereal box. Alvin got spoons.

* * *

Alvin stepped into the bedroom a few hours later.

Simon was sitting on the bed opposite the whiteboard, rubbing his eyes, his glasses in his hand. Alvin looked at the board. A bunch of algebraic equations told him that Simon had a problem. Everything else that had happened told Alvin a lot more than that.

"You don't think it has a cure?" Simon looked up, gazing at him. "The resequenced genes, I mean?"  
Simon put his glasses back on his face. "If the toxicology report had came back with something, there could have been."  
Alvin looked back at the board; clearly Simon wasn't looking for a cure then.

Alvin came and snatched his glasses away, "you don't need them, Simon."  
"Yes, I do." Simon whispered. "If you only knew how much I do."

Alvin looked at Simon, thinking on this. "When you put them on the world goes all fuzzy. Like when I try them on."  
"I don't need to see much in the world, Alvin. I hear everything perfectly well." Simon took the glasses back and Alvin didn't argue. It was not a matter of logic and sense. Simon was using them as a psychological barrier. If wearing glasses made his brother more comfortable, Alvin was not going to disagree.

'My poor little brother.' Alvin reached and hugged him. "So ... what are you trying to figure out on the board?"

Simon pushed Alvin away. "What do you think my problem is, exactly, Alvin?"  
"Those men gave you something that turned you into a vampire."  
Simon hesitated, a look of horror on his face. "Am I that obvious?"  
"Didn't you think I'd miss one of my comics? I found it hidden in your science book. For shame!"  
"What made you look there?"  
Alvin crossed his arms, turning in indignance, "Uh-uh." Reveal the inner workings of his over-imaginative mind? That would just frustrate his logical brother.

Simon went to the board and rubbed out all his workings. "You're so smart, Alvin, why don't you figure it out?"  
"Me?" Alvin looked at him completely astonished. "B-but ... You're the smart one."

Simon turned away and didn't reply. He took a step towards the door.  
"Simon! Please." Alvin pleaded. Simon stopped in his tracks, thank goodness. Alvin crossed the short distance between them. "I almost lost you once." He grabbed Simon into a desperate hug. "I love you, you know?"

Simon pushed him away, tears were in his eyes. "Alvin, I'm a vampire."  
"I don't care! You're my brother. Let me help you. I know so much about vampires, and you won't get much out of my comic book collection anyway. You need my help."

Alvin knew how to push. He knew the importance to fight and he knew he was right. Simon needed him, and that was all that mattered to Alvin. He wasn't going to back one step away for any reason.

Simon sighed. "Thanks, I'd really appreciate the help." Alvin blinked in surprise at the lack of stubborness from his brother.

Simon was the one to give the surprise hug this time.

* * *

_Moral/Overview: Love is to see an imperfect person perfectly. Love is unconditional. Love is regardless. Love is forever and always._


	5. If I Only Had A Brain

_**Disclaimer:** An eternal thank you to all musical composers for their music. Both the new, the old and the ... really old._

_A/N: I couldn't help it. I'm powerless to prevent it. References abound and formatting gone awry but god. Yet another guilty pleasure run amok upon the page._

* * *

**Chapter Five: "If I Only Had The Nerve" **

Theodore trembled with the flowers from the garden in his hand as he headed down the pathway. The chipettes were sitting in the park, and Theodore had all his courage in his shaking hands.

If she only turned to him, if he could only be reassured by the warmth in her eyes, why then he might be fine...

A gravelly sound was coming towards him from behind, and a skateboarder barreled him over.  
"Sorry!" The kid said and kept going.

Theodore was shaking as he sat up, grabbing the flowers back into an untidy bunch.  
"Theodore, are you alright?" His blonde angel was standing over him.  
He mouthed soundlessly. "These are for you, Eleanor." He finally managed to squeak out.

"Oh, Theodore, they're lovely."  
He blushed, "I-I better get home and help Dave with the cooking."  
"But ..."  
He stumbled backwards, and then raced off.

* * *

'Oh, no.'

Simon turned around the room looking for Theodore. "Theodore, what's the matter?" Theodore wasn't in the room, of course. On a hunch, Simon looked out of the bedroom window to the yard. Theodore was staring glumly at his feet, sitting under the tree in the backyard.  
Simon looked over at Alvin, deep in his monster books for the moment. Simon darted out of the room.

Simon dashed across the late afternoon sunlit lawn and stopped beside Theodore under the tree. He sat down. "Eleanor again?"  
"Uh-huh." 'She's so beautiful, like an angel.'  
Simon hugged Theodore. "What do you think is the matter?"  
"I still can't talk to her. I get all ... nervous. I feel so pathetic."

"No!" Simon shook his head furiously. "She's your angel, that's why. I have trouble talking to Jeanette. I mean," he laughed nervously. "How often do you see me even talking to Jeanette?"  
"Alvin and Brittany talk all the time."  
"Well, they're actually fighting for the most part."  
"Oh, yeah."

**Simon: **_Earth angel, earth angel_  
_Will you be mi-hine?_  
**Theodore: **_my darling d-e-ar_  
_Love you for all ti-hime_  
**Simon: **_I'm just a f-o-o-l,_  
_A fool in love..._  
**Theodore: **_with you,_  
**Simon: **_you,_  
**Theodore: **_you,_  
**Simon: **_you..._

"Oh, Eleanor!" Theodore quaked. Simon could see her so clear in his brother's head.

**Simon: **_Only you, and you alone,_  
_Ca-han thrill me like you do,_  
**Theodore: **_yo-u'-re my dream come true_  
_My one,_  
**Both: **_and only you,_  
**Theodore: **_you,_  
**Simon: **_you..._

Alvin interrupted, standing over them. In his lively attitude he picked up the beat.

**Alvin: **_So dream lo-ver,_  
_Until th-e-n,_  
**Simon: **_I'll go to sle-ep and I'll dream ag-a-in_  
**Alvin: **_Because I want..._  
**Theodore: **_A girl_  
**Simon: **_To ca-a-all_  
**Alvin: **_my o-w-w-own_  
**Theodore: **_I wanna,_  
**All: **_Dream lover, 'cause I don't wanna dream alone!_

Alvin smirked. "That's a bit better it was so soppy out here, I thought it'd been raining. Why not rap it up a bit?" But before he could open his mouth, Theodore squeaked and cowered behind the other two. Simon turned; he saw Brittany and a feeling of panic joined his hunger in his stomach. He glanced at the reddening sky.

"Oh, Alvin. Singing about me again?" Brittany said, peering through the gate.  
"No, Brittany," Simon covered Alvin's mouth with his hand and muffled his retort, "we're just trying to make it rain. It's been so dry and hot and cloudless lately. Hasn't it, Alvin?" Simon chuckled nervously.

"That's not funny, Simon."  
"Actually, Brittany." Simon let go of Alvin. "We were just singing about courage."  
"You were singing love songs." Brittany wrinkled her nose. "Really old ones."  
"Gee, I guess they'll have no effect on you, then?" Simon went back to Alvin's side. "Come on, fellow retro-munks, let's go inside before it gets dark and something bad happens." Alvin and Theodore turned, heading inside, "And, Brittany, you too. You shouldn't be out on your own; it's not safe in the streets. You really should go home before it gets dark." He hurried inside after his brothers.

* * *

Simon's heart pounded in his chest as he shut the door and raced upstairs. It was especially not safe with those madmen on the loose. No chipmunk or chipette was safe.

Alvin slammed the door behind him the instant he came into the room. "Why wouldn't you let me say anything? She's my girlfriend!"

"Alvin there wasn't time," Simon turned, calming himself. "It was getting dark."  
"I really was singing about her!"  
"Alvin, it was getting dark."

"And she ..." Alvin stopped. "What do you mean?"  
"There are evil mad scientists out there, looking for me right now. And not every human can tell one chipmunk from another chipette."  
"What about the fact that they're wearing dresses?"

Simon's hunger turned his feelings of victimization into anger. "What about the fact that I can talk? They didn't seem to notice that when they turned me into this!" Simon yanked off his glasses and threw them across the room. "Alvin, they don't care about anything, anyone, and I get to wondering where they got that test sample from in the first place."

Alvin gave a hesitant answer. "F-from a vampire." Alvin looked out the window as the shades of evening closed in around the house. 'And Brittany was alone; I should have walked her home. I didn't even think about it.'

"Alvin, I ... lied. Sort of." Alvin turned back to him. "I lied about her being on her own. I just wanted to scare her enough to think about her sisters. Well, I didn't directly say it, and she knew it wasn't correct, so it wasn't a lie to her."

'That doesn't matter, I should've thought of it anyway.' "I didn't see them."  
"They were below the fence line." Alvin crossed the room and picked up Simon's glasses in thought. "And on the subject of seeing things, I don't want to see any more of us getting hurt any more than you do."

Alvin's hands shook. 'I don't accept the idea of my life getting this small, and I don't like the idea of this constant danger over all of us.' "We've got to do something."  
Simon slapped his forehead. "Alvin!"

"Simon, I saw you catch a ball that should have sent you flying. I've seen you stand in front of me and growl."  
"I ... what?"  
"You growl, Simon. You growled at those soccer players. Lucky for you, you didn't growl at Brittany, or I'd have sucker punched you right then and there." Alvin crossed his arms.

"Really? You think you could win?"  
"I never said that."  
"Vampires don't scare you, Alvin?"  
"Never. Because I've always known you were by my side."  
'D'oh, what?' "Yours is seemingly groundless logic, Alvin." Simon said dryly. "I am a vampire."  
"Simon, you don't get it!"

"Boys, dinner's ready!"  
"Coming Dave!" They chimed.

Alvin turned back to Simon. "Between me and danger, there has always been you. You're always stepping in front of me. And you're still doing it; you just did it ten minutes ago for the girls." Alvin stepped towards the door. "You're Simon Seville, not Mr. Hyde. There is nothing any mad scientist can do to change that." He walked out of the room, and Simon followed him downstairs.

* * *

After dinner, they sat on the stool by the piano, watching Dave tinkering with his tune. "The downside, Simon," Alvin said after long deliberation, "is that there's no hope for you to ditch the soppy retro repertoire."  
"Hey, you're just as bad as me!"  
"Me? Soppy!"

**Simon: **_You still like that old time rock and roll_  
**Alvin: **_The kind of music that just soothes the soul_  
**Theodore: **_I'm reminiscin' 'bout the days of old..._

"Fellahs, please!" Dave turned his head to them. "I'm actually trying to make something new today." He turned back to his music.

"Something old ... something new ... whatever." Alvin took out his harmonica and mirrored Dave's tune in the making, adding his own flair.

Simon heard the miniscule change in Dave's thoughts, as he began scribbling again on the sheets. Simon was amazed at how much their family just worked so well together. Dave needed them, they needed Dave, and they all needed each other.

Dave replayed the notes in excitement. "That's it!"

Simon grinned. It felt very good, to be here.

* * *

_Moral/Overview: You can't solve all your problems overnight. Even Rome wasn't built in a day and who are you, anyway? Superman? Give yourself a break!_


	6. From A Vampire

_A/N: Okay, but what really is normal, anyway?_

* * *

**Chapter Six: From A Vampire**

Simon jolted wide awake. He stared at the clock and groaned. 12pm. He was more awake than he had been all day.

He stepped towards the window and opened it up a fraction. Oh, lovely fresh air. He stepped out onto the tiling and closed the window to just a crack open so he could get back in.

_"Nighttime sharpens  
__Heightens each sensation..."_

It was cool, refreshing. Then he remembered that out there, nearby were those scientists, looking for a chipmunk. A chipmunk ... with a thirst for blood.  
"Where are you?" He closed his eyes, thinking about the city, recalling its streets, its buildings. Its people. Its ... vampires? His eyes flew open.

He gulped. Some ... one ... had heard his mind reaching out past them.

'Si-mon?' The voice was ethereal. He looked around, nobody, nothing, they were far away, into the city.  
'Si-mon ...' this one was feminine.  
"No, go away; I'm not looking for you." He covered his ears with his hands.  
'Si-mon.' the voices persisted.  
'What? Is there a whole gang of them?' He blinked in fear.  
'Nest. We are family.'  
'That's great, so we all have family.' He thought loudly back. "Doesn't achieve anything." He muttered.

'Why don't you come to us?'  
'Are you kidding? There are people out there looking to kill me.' Then he added. 'And my family needs me right here.'  
There was mirth in the connection.  
'Why do people keep laughing at me? I don't find myself particularly amusing.'

'Come to us tomorrow, then.'  
Simon shivered. 'In the daylight?'  
'Can you not do this?' There was some alarm on the other end.  
Alvin was right. Fear was not an option. 'I'll see.'  
'We are glad.' And it really felt they were.

* * *

There was a tapping on the window below. Alvin opened the window. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Simon looked back into the night. The voices were gone.

Simon climbed back into the window. "I've just been invited to a nest." Alvin leaned out the window. "You won't see them, Alvin, it was telepathic."  
"Can you read my thoughts?" Alvin said, wide eyed.  
"Usually when I'm listening. Sometimes when I'm not." He remembered Theodore so upset this afternoon.

"I ... I thought you needed training for that."  
"A training program for telepathy?"  
"Whatever, I dunno. You said you couldn't do hypnosis."  
"No, I never actually said ... I thought I was the one that was telepathic? What made you think I ..."

Alvin shook Simon. "Telepathy is hypnosis! Just not as extreme. If you can pick up thoughts, you can send thoughts. If you can send thoughts, you can hypnotise someone; it's just the next cab off the rank."  
Simon slapped his forehead. "This is why I need you, Alvin."  
"You were trying to ... that's what you were trying to figure out on the board this morning?"

Simon blushed. "Percival's shoelaces ... I can't believe it." Simon got back into bed. "I'd be glad if you came with me, tomorrow, Alvin."  
"Are you kidding? Just try to stop me." Alvin said with a yawn, and snuggled down into his own bed.  
'Now I have to sleep.' Simon insisted to himself and closed his eyes.

* * *

It was dark inside of the building as Simon and Alvin sat on the window ledge peering in. Simon kept a fierce grip on Alvin's hand. "Just stay with me, Alvin." And they snuck in through the window.

"Simon Seville." The room echoed.  
"Hello? I don't know your names." Simon looked up. Eyes peered down from above. Alvin trembled, tightening his grip on Simon.  
"A relatively equal thing." A human form dropped down next to them on all fours, peering. "So tiny."  
"I'm a chipmunk."

"You're a vampire. You're one of us."  
"I'm also a chipmunk."  
"Well, but I'm not human."  
"There has to be some human in you somewhere."  
The creature stood up, towering over them now, "outcasts forget."  
"Yeah, I figured that." Simon was grateful for his family.  
"Simon, this isn't good, we need to leave. Now." Alvin warned.  
"Wait, Simon."

The human knelt down in front of him. "How do you feel?"  
"Simon ..." Alvin repeated.

Simon dropped Alvin's hand, pulling off his glasses. "How do you think I should feel?" He squeaked, "I'm so hungry!"  
"It is a thing that is monitored. When your energy levels are low or in battle, it will increase."  
"Monitored?" He sobbed into his hands. This was all too much.

"No, Simon! We need to leave!" Alvin voiced his alarm.  
"Come to me."  
"No ..."  
Simon stepped forwards.  
"Leave him alone!"  
Simon blinked at Alvin's persistent warning. "What do you want from me?" He asked the human vampire.

"Would you care to explain it, Alvin?" Alvin struggled to find the words, "he's afraid what your first drink of blood will do to you. And he's quite right, really. Fruits and vegetables are the best diet."  
"Chipmunks have more nuts and cereals in theirs."  
"And humans subsist on junk! You need more vegetables." The vampire outstretched her arm for him. "Come to me, Simon."

Simon once again felt drawn in her direction.

She offered him her wrist. He grasped her hand. A network of veins, he chose the largest, and bit into her. 'Good, get yourself strong.'

* * *

Simon dropped his grip and stumbled back from the human vampire, Alvin caught him.

"Doesn't it matter that he's so small compared to you?" Alvin sobbed.  
"My dear child. It is all equal between us." She gazed at Alvin. "Surely you are aware that all Turners require blood on their first night, and here he is after his third night in such suffering?"  
"He didn't need it, he was doing fine."  
"Yes, he did. Did you not hear his anguish? He will be more stable now. Feed him vegetables. He will be fine." She turned into a bat smaller than them, and flew up to the roof.

Alvin dragged Simon out of the building.

"Simon?" Alvin looked nervously at his brother in the alleyway. "Did you really need ..." Simon opened his eyes, gazing calmly at Alvin.  
"Yes." Simon's eyes were filled with a drifting blackness. "Much ... better." He licked his lips, closing his eyes again. "Blood ... finally."

"Simon, listen to me, you'll be hungry again once it wears off."  
"She promised me it wouldn't be quite as bad in my head. That I could think in class, that I could just monitor it." Simon blinked his eyes open at Alvin, the spectral black was subsiding. His eyes were returning to normal. He held out his hand for Alvin.

Alvin took it fiercely. "We need to get home now, Simon." And he pulled his brother out of the alleyway.

* * *

_Moral/Overview: Remember the case of the rabid rabbits: Not all nasty things can be identified by their sharp teeth and claws. Not all fluffy and cute things are friendly. _

___Moral/Overview: Remember the case of the carnivorous book: _Don't ever judge a book by its cover, because it might come back to bite you later!


	7. Chase the Clouds Away

_A/N: Thanks for reading this far! _

_A/N: If you have any recommendations to help me improve appreciation for my writing I'd be grateful to hear from you be it a message or a review. _

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Chase the Clouds Away**

They were back in suburbia, when all at once Simon's ears pricked.

_"I need a her-o." _He broke into a run on Brittany's voice and stopped in front of the Miller's residence before he realised they were just singing.

**Jeanette:** _I need a hero till the morning li-ght._  
**Eleanor:** _He's got to be strong_  
**Jeanette:** _and he's got to be fast_  
**Brittany:** _and he's got to be fresh from the fight._  
**Jeanette & Eleanor:** _Fresh from the f-i-g-ht._

**Brittany:** _Where have all the good men gone and where are all the gods?_  
**Jeanette:**_ Where is the streetwise Hercules to fight the r-i-sing odds?_  
**Eleanor: **_I need a her-_oh!

Alvin came up beside him, breathless. "Simon! ... Do you mind ... warning me ... before you freak out next time?"  
"I thought they were in trouble." Simon argued in front of their gate. "What would you do?" He turned away from Alvin and continued down the pathway back to the Seville house.

* * *

"Alvin?" Alvin turned around to face Jeanette, "what's the matter with Simon?"

Alvin sighed and stepped up next to the fence.

Jeanette was not like Brittany or Theodore. Only the truth would do for her. "He's scared."  
"Scared?"  
"He's scared of losing you, he's scared of losing us, and he's scared of losing himself." He stepped away from the fence.  
"Well ... could you tell him I'm not going anywhere, please?"  
Alvin smiled. "Thanks, I'm sure he'd appreciate that."

* * *

Alvin found Simon sitting under the tree.  
"Hey, Simon ..."  
"I heard." Simon didn't look up.

Alvin sighed.

**Alvin: **_Blue skies. Shining down on me  
_**Simon:**_ Nothing but blue skies. Do I see._

'Oops, this isn't working.' Alvin thought.

**Alvin:**_ I can see clearly now the rain is gone.  
_**Simon:**_ I can see all obstacles in my way.  
_**Alvin: **_Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind.  
_**Simon: **_Now it's a bright.  
_**Alvin: **_Bright  
_**Simon:** _Bright.  
_**Alvin: **_Sun shining da-y._

Simon was silent.

**Alvin: **_With nothing but blue skies, to guide my way!_

Alvin pulled Simon to a stand out into the sunlight. "You're not a bad person, Simon. As long as you can stand in the sunlight, that's the battle won."

Simon blinked at him in response. He nodded wordlessly and hugged Alvin.

* * *

"Alvin, we've got to do something about those scientists. Expose them. They're dangerous, they need to be stopped."  
"I knew you'd get around to my point of view eventually." Alvin laughed.  
Simon straightened his glasses. "Indeed. It's still very dangerous."  
Alvin snatched his glasses away. "Who for?"

Simon gazed at Alvin for a long moment. "What do you mean by that exactly?"

"That's a question you need to ask yourself. You run, you catch, you growl, Simon. The list of what you can do is growing. They only had one sample, remember? Looking at you, I'm thinking that it was a fluke. They must have caught an inexperienced vampire. Give it time, Simon. You'll start sprouting wings like that woman did. Turn yourself into a shadow and drift off into the night."

Simon looked up into the blue sky. "That sounds nice."  
Alvin looked up too and saw nothing. "Which part?"

Simon grinned. "All of it." He stepped away from Alvin, back into the thick shade of the tree.  
"Perhaps we should wait till ..."  
"There's nobody watching us. And I want to try this."

* * *

"Night time sharpens,  
Heightens each sensation  
Gently stirs  
And wakes imagination  
Silently your senses  
Abandon all defenses  
Helpless to resist..."

_Simon's body ached as Jeanette came closer towards him. He held out his hands for her and she accepted his embrace.  
__He inhaled. "The very smell of you." Her heart rate was steady as he held her warm and close.  
__"How'd you get to be a vampire, Simon?"  
__"I was looking after my brother." He nuzzled her._

_"Are you gonna bite me?"  
__"I can smell you, Jeanette; I can hear you in surround sound. If I bit you, I would definitely drown from sheer intoxication."  
__"I think you're already a fair way there."  
__"You're indeed correct." He planted his mouth against hers._

* * *

"Simon? Simon?" He opened his eyes. Theodore was standing over him. "It's Monday, we've got to get ready for school."

Simon jumped out of bed. "Thanks, Theodore." He licked his lips. 'What a kiss!'  
"You were dreaming?"  
He grinned sheepishly at Theodore. "Am I so obvious?"  
"Well ... yeah."

"I dreamt I kissed Jeanette." He smiled happily. "It was amazing. I just kissed her! I didn't mess it up, I didn't get all nervous."  
"Wow, I hope I have a dream like that one day."  
Simon leaned forwards, whispering into Theodore's ear. "I hope you'll get the real thing, little brother."  
"Oh, yeah, that would be even better." Theodore hugged him and then Simon followed him downstairs.

* * *

Moral/Overview: A person's actions naturally flow from their character. You can no more change the colour of the sky than you can a person's inherent nature. Of course, dreams are something else entirely.


	8. Vampire

_A/N: This is my very original verson of vampires. I started writing about vampires basically because nobody quite gave me the vampires I was looking for. _

_A/N: I haven't introduced them properly in this particular story so here I explain: I call them Vespers and they are the microscopic creatures that live in the air and all around us. They swarm in the shadows but lie as dust particles in the daylight. They're a natural part of the ecosystem, assisting the bugs in the breakdown of things like discarded leaves and roadkill. _

_A/N: As Simon was born in the wild, he is much more connected to his animal instincts and his surrounding co-inhabitors than those of us conditioned to society from infanthood. That you knew already, but for me that makes him the fastest learning Turner that I've ever written for._

**

* * *

**

Chapter Eight: Vampire

* * *

Simon, Alvin and Theodore met the girls at their gate. Brittany had a look of severe disapproval on her face.

"Will you finish being weird already, Simon?"  
Simon blinked. "W-what do you mean?"  
"Weird!" She prodded him. "Stop scaring my little sisters!"  
Simon blinked at Jeanette and Eleanor. "I ... I'm s-sorry." He stumbled over his words. "I ... I ..."  
"Back off, Brittany, he's been really sick." Alvin stepped in between them protectively. "Now are we going to school or are we going to be tardy?" Alvin dragged Simon after him. "Let's go."

Simon frowned, horrified as they walked along the pavement in an uneasy silence. What had he done to scare them? All his best intentions to protect them and now they were scared of him? It was the worst anti-climax to that dream that he could imagine. He stopped on the ugly thought, shaking off a shiver. Theodore and Brittany crashed into him. Simon slowly turned around to face Jeanette. She met his gaze, and then she blushed, turning away. That was pretty conclusive evidence. He'd accidentally invaded her dreams. "I'm sorry, Jeanette, I didn't mean to ..."

Simon turned his head on the sound of an engine. A van turned onto the street, bearing down on them. "Run!" He shrieked, but a large net with small holes landed over the top of them in the next second. So preoccupied, he hadn't registered the warning signals and now they were all trapped.

* * *

It was hours later. The chipmunks and chipettes were now sorted into individual cat boxes and were all piled up on a metal cart. No amount of arguing and verbal rebuke budged the humans from their ways.

"Now we have six chipmunks."  
"So? Chances are one of them is the correct one, or perhaps all of them."  
"I beg your pardon!" Simon growled.

"It's me you want; you can let the others go." The human looked down at him, pulling his cage away from the others. "Let the others go, you have me now."  
"Simon!"  
"Don't argue with me on this one, Alvin!"

"So then it worked and we have more samples." The humans looked at each other.  
"So now you have your vampire ..." Simon repeated, his voice slowing to emphasize the warning. "Let ... the others ... go."  
"We'll need more test subjects." The human spoke to his assistant. "Put them in the other room."

"I might as well not talk at all." Simon frowned. "You never listen to a word I say."  
"Yeah, that's a good idea, chipmunk. Be quiet."

Simon watched the other human wheel the cart away, pushing his family and friends through the swinging double doors. The human put his box down on the lab bench. "You're going to kill them?"  
"No, they'll just be test subjects."  
"That'll be a yes, then. You're going to kill them like you killed me."  
"I'm intrigued; you don't look dead, but you feel dead?"  
"How do I feel?"

Simon laughed quite suddenly. "I feel that this toy cage is too small for me."  
"Oh, we'll get you a more permanent enclosure." The doors swung open as the assistant walked through.  
"A permanent enclosure!" Simon laughed maniacally as the doors swung shut again. "Of course. What a good idea!"  
The second human hesitated, and turned around, pushing at the doors. "They won't budge!"

"The vampire's in a cage; he can't do anything. Get a grip on yourself."  
"And while I'm still talking for the moment, do you want to know how else I feel? Since you did this to me?"  
"W-what?"  
"Hungry! Mmm, so I get to the main course at last." The human stepped away from the cage. Simon laughed again and closed his eyes. "One vampire coming up."

He felt his body mass increasing, his wings erupting out, smashing forcefully through the cage. He shook off the fragments, his paws growing sharper claws and increasing in size with the rest of him. His mouth grew more teeth. He opened and shut his mouth, flicking his tongue lightly across, testing the new razor sharp set. It crossed his mind that with his mouth like this, he could not formulate any words. He perched on the table, looking down on his prey.

He ruffled his wings. Even this whole room was too small for him now. He pushed his mind outwards, encompassing the scientists. The humans' emotions faltered, their minds grew quiet.  
'Come to me.' The first human staggered forwards. Using his thermal detection sense, Simon could map out his victim's entire circulatory system. He clasped his shoulders and bent down. Simon closed his sharp mouth over his neck and drank the flume of blood. It tasted of every cruel thing the scientist had done and it was delicious.

Simon lowered the body to the ground and directed the next one to come forwards. He took the assistant into his hold, lowering his head to his neck. Under his mental control, the human didn't even flinch as he swallowed every last drop of his blood.

Once he'd finished the second one Simon drew a breath of relief. The danger threat that had been plaguing his days and nights was gone.

He closed his eyes. 'I want ... to be a chipmunk again.' He felt his body mass fold back in on itself again. His wings his claws, his teeth disappeared back, hidden in his genetic profile. He jumped lightly to the floor beside the bodies and reached the door. He jumped, flicking off the light switch. He closed his eyes in the dark, calling out to the shadow forms he'd known since being an infant in the woods. 'I know that you are always hungry, my friends.' He opened his eyes, watching the bodies dissolve into the shadows. Now there was nothing left of this horrible experiment but he and the lab.

He smiled. "Well ... I think I can live with myself." He pushed through the door.

* * *

Simon grabbed the sheet covering the cart and pulled.

"Simon, are you alright?"  
"I'm fine." He answered Alvin and grabbed a padlock and ripped it away, then the next. All five of them; he simply tore the metal apart with his willpower. They each got out of their box and jumped down, glad to be free and off the cart.

"Oh, my god, what an awful place."  
"It's just a lab, Brittany." Simon jumped down beside them.  
"But those men?"  
"They were evil."

"Is there such a thing?"  
"Well, they sure tasted evil, Eleanor." Simon insisted. "I want to go home now."

"You ate them?"  
"Yes, I ate them, Jeanette, they won't do it again."  
"Will you do it again?"  
"That depends on whether I ever meet any more evil people." He watched them all warily.

"Oh, well, that's alright then." Eleanor decided for everybody in her eternally bright attitude. "Come on, I wanna go home too."

* * *

He watched as the others started to leave. Jeanette took his hand.

"I'm sorry I got into your head last night, Jeanette. Really, I was asleep. I didn't realise it till ... when we were walking." He blushed, "I thought it was all in my head."  
"Do you really feel that way for me?"  
His heart pounded; "Yes!"

"You mean ... you avoid me because you're nervous?"  
"I've been too preoccupied with safety to be too nervous lately. Maybe that was why I couldn't control ..."  
"Kiss me." The lab was empty but for them, and he couldn't resist the request. Simon drew her into his arms. He sniffed at her then gently he pressed his mouth against hers.

He was in sheer bliss, "You're mine now, Jeanette."  
"Of course. I was always yours, Simon."  
Alvin poked his head around the door. "Ahem?"  
"Alvin?" Simon straightened his glasses.  
Theodore poked his head around as well.  
"I know you two like laboratories as much as the next mad scientist ..." Alvin began.  
"... But Dave and Mrs. Miller will already be worrying about us." Theodore finished.

They'd also missed school too, Simon realised, and the others needed him to find the most sensible story to tell the adults.

Just like normal.

Simon grinned at his brothers, taking firm hold of Jeanette's hand and they left the lab together.


End file.
